Afro American Studies Paper

Afro American Studies Paper

African American Studies

African’s place in the world village

The world is moving and changing and people are still looking at you in the same fashion; not only is this fashion highly derogatory, that pretty much sums up how the African community was viewed at the turn of the century. Lynching was widespread and there wasn’t much hope in terms of race relations.   As the major world powers have fought and made diplomatic arrangements to see whose imperialism would reign supreme, Africans seem to have been stuck riding the wave. Blacks were able to aid to the international development by fighting in wars and with the dawn of “The New Negro Era”.
The first international experience Africans had in a majority is the Spanish American War. The war took place between 1898 and 1903; during the period before the war in Cuba it was a hot bed for revolt. (Franklin and Moss 329) Cuba was being oppressed by Spain in every way possible and they were unwavering in gaining their independence. The U.S., by 1890 had invested a significant amount of money in the sugar plantations there, only to see a lot of them burned due to revolt. The Spaniards were infuriated by the people’s display and decided to put the more rural communities in concentration camps. With the sinking of the USS Maine it set in motion the wheels that led to the war. When the call came from the president, Africans in America were enthused by the thought of going to help their brothers in Cuba gain independence. Even though a lot of African Americans were staunch anti-imperialists that refused to act as pawns in America’s financial war, there were still those that answered the call to arms made by their former oppressors. In an army of 28,000 there were only four African American regiments, these same regiments had been used against the Native Americans in the west. Africans in America, no matter how qualified or brave were still treated like inferior beings. Even when the Tenth Calvary, a regiment made...